Castanospermine is an alkaloid which has been isolated from the seeds of Castanospermum australe and it has the following formula: ##STR1## Systematically, this compound can be named in several ways as follows: [1S-(1.alpha., 6.beta., 7.alpha., 8.beta., 8.alpha..beta.) ]-octahydro-1,6,7,8-indolizinetetrol or (1S,6S,7R,8R,8.alpha.R)-1,6,7,8-tetrahydroxyindolizidine or 1,2,4,8-tetradeoxy-1,4,8-nitrilo-L-glycero-D-galacto-octitol. The term "castanospermine" or the first systematic name will be used in the discussion below.
The isolation of this compound and the determination of its structure has been described by L. D. Hohenshutz, et al., Phytochemistry, 20, 811 (1981). As part of his study of castanospermine, Hohenshutz obtained castanospermine tetra-acetate by the reaction of castanospermine with a very large excess of acetic anhydride but there is no suggestion of any other esters of castanospermine in the article.